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(090) Assessment of effect of PAH discharge on lysosomal membrane stability of blue mussels in Karmsund, Norway. Bjornstad, A.1, Grosvik, B.E.1, Aas, E.1, Andersen, O.K.1, 1 ABSTRACT- The objectives of this study were to determine the main contributors to the past and present PAH discharge in a contaminated recipient, and assess possible effects of the discharge on the natural population of mussels (Mytilus edulis). Karmsund is a 30-km long strait east of Karmøy Island (Norway). An aluminium work that are annually producing 200000 tons of aluminium is located in the recipient, and thought to be the main source of the PAH discharge in the area. The strait is however heavily trafficked by both leisure boats and ships. PAHs are released into the environment from both pyrogenic and petrogenic sources, and the composition of PAH compounds is specific for each source. To determine the PAH sources in Karmsund, PAH levels and composition were measured in mussels from 15 locations within the recipient. Lysosomal membrane stability was measured as neutral red retention time in mussel-haemocytes to assess possible biological effect of PAHs. The total PAH concentrations (25 compounds) detected in the mussels varied between 0 and 31000 Key words: PAH, lysosmes, neutral red retention, Mytilus edulis |
g/kg (wet weight). The PAH compositions in the samples revealed a dominance of large PAH molecules (4-6 rings PAHs) for 13 out of 15 locations, supporting the hypothesis about the aluminium work being the main contributor to the total PAH discharge. A reduction in membrane stability by 18 to 64% for mussels in Karmsund compared to mussels from a reference site, is indicating a negative effect of the PAH discharge on the health of the native mussels. There was a good relation between the PAH levels and biological response in the mussels with an increased dose-response gradient towards the aluminium work.